COVID antibody test cannot tell if you are immune to coronavirus, say experts

COVID antibody test cannot tell if you are immune to coronavirus, say experts

As people across the world continue to step out of their houses and resume normal activities, a lot of them are interested in getting antibodies test done to understand whether or not, they have already gained ‘immunity’ against the novel coronavirus. If you are thinking of taking a similar route, it may not be of much help, as per the experts. For starters, we need to understand what exactly is an antibody test and how is it different from other diagnostic tests for COVID-19.

Ideally, to diagnose the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there are two major tests, which are the swab test (RT-PCR) and antigen test. While these two tests are conducted to check whether an active coronavirus infection is present in the body, the antibody test, as the name suggests, actually looks for protective antibodies against the virus as your body’s natural immune system response. This test is usually conducted after you have recovered from the illness or when the other two main diagnostic tests fail or are unable to provide accurate results.

Since the antibody test DOES not look for active signs of the coronavirus, it will only help you determine whether or not you had contracted COVID-19 in the past. At the same time, if you get tested too early after your exposure to the virus when the immune system is gearing up to respond, the antibodies may not show up at all. In any case, people are increasingly relying on the presence of antibodies as a sign of ‘IMMUNITY’ against the novel coronavirus, but that is not entirely true.

Since it is a novel contagion, researchers are still learning more about the virus, the disease it causes and the extent of immunity gained after infection. Even if your test results show that your body had kickstarted an antibody-forming immune response, there is no conclusive evidence that it can provide lasting immunity against the virus. Recent reports have also shown that antibodies against the coronavirus decline rapidly within the span of just 3 to 4 months in some cases.

As per Dr Angela M. Caliendo, who is a testing expert at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, we don’t really know if a positive test means that you’re protected. Speaking to Deccan Herald, she said, “We don’t really know if a positive test means you’re protected. If you were sick back in March, you probably don’t have antibodies any more; and if you were only mildly sick, you may not have gotten antibodies.”

It is important to make people understand that developing antibodies does not automatically mean that you have attained immunity against the virus as the pandemic is still very much here. This false sense of protection can lead to people flouting the social distancing norms and not paying attention to hand hygiene measures anymore. It could further trigger another wave of the pandemic and lead to a steep rise in new coronavirus infections.

The jury is still out on how long the protective antibodies last in the human body and whether or not they provide lasting immunity against the virus. Unless we have a definitive answer, it is strongly advisable to continue wearing your masks and protective gears, even if your antibody test turns out to be positive.